One of the highest-ranking sports globally, in popularity, is undeniably football. It is thus hardly surprising that the best football players are ranked among the wealthiest people in the world. Being a successful ballplayer takes more than a pair of good legs - it takes good investment choices, too. There is a plethora of avenues available to build their wealth - like real estate, commercial endorsements, business venture or even image rights, to name a few. Here is a list of the wealthiest on the field, ranked in order of their net worth. Many names are familiar, but some might come as a surprise! The richest league is The Premier League, but just two footballers from the league make it on the list. And no, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo is number one!

#10: Pelé, Retired from New York Cosmos - $100 Million

Pelé, the sensational Brazilian footballer who retired in 1977, has earned a number of prestigious accolades in his time on the field. In 1999, he was named ‘Football Player of the Century’ by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics; he was also named ‘Athlete of the Century’ in that year, by The International Olympic Committee. Pelé scored 1281 in 1363 matches. He came out of semi-retirement and signed with New York Cosmos, in 1975.  He might be out of the game for a long time, but his money in the bank is still $100 million.

#9: Raúl González Blanco - $100 Million

Spanish former footballer, Raúl González Blanco, was born in Madrid. He played as a striker for Atletico Madrid, San Cristobal, and Real Madrid. He retired from his career after playing for the New York Cosmos in 2014-2015. Blanco has the following accolades: three UEFA Champion’s League titles and six La Liga titles, and the Ballon d’Or silver award, and FIFA World Player of the Year bronze award. It is said that his company, Europa Scar Sport, filed for bankruptcy, but he’s certainly far from it!

#8: Kaka, Retired from Orlando City - $105 Million

Brazilian professional football player Kaka is sure proud of having been able to amass $105 million and $5 million each year is generated via endorsements. His endorsements include Hyundai, Adidas, and WiseUp. With his combined endorsements and salary, he ranks among the highest paid footballers in the world. In December 2017, he announced his retirement from football, after dropping hints in October that he didn’t feel like playing football anymore.

#7: Gareth Bale, Real Madrid - $110 Million

Real Madrid’s star midfielder from Wales, Gareth Bale, is among our wealthiest footballers on the planet, sporting a fortune of $110 million, and an income stream of $9 million from lucrative endorsement deals, with companies like Adidas, EA Sports, Nissan, Lucozade and Foot Locker.  He might not have invested in other ventures as what his peers have done, but he owns PrimeSure Limited, where he is a 60% stakeholder. Well, if the business is doing so well, then perhaps Bale receives his dividends quite regularly.

#6: Wayne Rooney, Everton - $128 Million

English international footballer, Wayne Rooney, comes in on our list with an annual salary of $26 million. He’s held the top spot for some time and has since been on the decline in his footballing prestige, but he ranks quite highly on the list, all thanks to his good finance planning – in the form of investments, commercial endorsements, and business ventures. His lucrative deals with Harper Collins, Nike, EA Sports, and Coca-Cola built him an empire. He also invested in a Newcastle hotel, and some real estate.

#5: Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain - $140 Million

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, known simply as Neymar, earns even more from his several endorsements than he does from his actual salary! And he’s the only football player with such an income setup! Comparatively, 36% and 34%, respectively, of Messi’s and Ronaldo’s total pay is earned via endorsements, while Neymar sits at a staggering 61% of his total pay from endorsements! He is readily the first-most popular athlete of Brazil, with a large South American audience. His net worth is expected to increase rapidly over the next couple years.

#4: Dave Whelan, Retired From Crewe Alexandra F.C. - $210 Million

Though recognized more for his talents as a businessman, former Blackburn Rovers and later Crewe Alexandra full-back, Dave Whelan, is a mighty successful footballer. He owns DW Stadium, where Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic play their rugby matches. His clever investing strategy resulted in him earning a fortune – through Whelan Stores Ltd. that was taken over, and then JJB Sports which became DW Sports. He is the only former footballer owning a Premier League club – but Beckham is close on his heels!

#3: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid - $400 Million

A close second is Cristiano Ronaldo. As famous for his footwork as he is for his good looks, he happens to be Europe’s highest-paid player. In 2016, Ronaldo signed a lifetime deal with Nike, rumored to be worth approximately $1 billion! With a salary of around $54 million, and additional bonuses, endorsements, not to mention wads of money from sponsors, we don’t think it’s life-changing for him! He keeps busy with two hotels of his in Portugal, a chain of gyms, and a shirt and underwear line, too – called CR7.

#2: David Beckham, Retired from Paris Saint-Germain - $450 Million

Even if you have never heard of football itself, you've certainly heard of David Beckham. Number one on the list, Beckham is to football as Fish and Chips are to England. As the accomplished footballer he is, he has had the privilege of representing several prestigious football clubs. Though his portfolio is loaded with deals with H&M, Adidas, and Armani – to name a few – his dream was to be a Major League Football team owner. His dream came true in 2018 and Beckham has his heart set on it.

 #1: Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona - $470 Million

Record-breaking five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, Lionel Messi is a football sensation. He has come a long way from being the youngest to have scored for FC Barcelona. Messi’s salary is almost $45 million, and his $470-million net worth comes from sponsors like Audemars Piguet, Adidas, Gillette, PepsiCo, and Turkish Airlines, and advertisement campaigns, like that for Samsung and Lays. He is hardly as flamboyant as Ronaldo but is a high-profile marketing figure nonetheless. He has also invested in select real estates in Rosario, his hometown.

Sergio Agüero, Manchester City - $51 Million

Argentinian footballer Sergio Agüero has a $50-million fortune, which makes him a good candidate for having a financial advisor by his side. His journey through football began in elementary school. He began playing for Atletico Madrid in 2006, up to 2011. His fans were very disgruntled with the news of his intentions to transfer, and he was met with such contempt it bordered on hatred. He transferred to Manchester City, and Atletico Madrid fans showed up at matches with boards saying “Aguero, We Hope You Die." Talk about taking the game so seriously!

John Terry, Aston Villa - $70 Million

John Terry was Chelsea’s most successful captain and their highest-scoring defender. In 2012, the former captain of England announced his retirement from international football but continued playing for the club. In 2017, he left Chelsea for Aston Villa, and now, after one season with the club, he has announced his transfer to Derby County! It seems it is the poor financial situation of Aston Villa that might also have contributed to his decision, as the team hasn’t made it back to the Premier League.

David Silva, Manchester City - $55 Million

A bank account with $55 million and a yearly salary of $15 million keeps Manchester City footballer, David Silva, a happy camper. The Spanish footballer earns approximately $1 million every year through commercial endorsements. Silva became a member of the Spanish international football team at the young age of 20 but was just eight when he first tried out in football. He boasts six-year-long tenure with Valencia CF, for which he played over 150 games, picking up a Copa del Ray, too. In 2010, he joined Manchester City and has remained there since.

Cesc Fàbregas, Chelsea - $45 Million

Spanish footballer, Cesc Fabregas’ checking account benefits not just from a $10.4-million yearly salary, but also from a Puma deal. In 2008, he had a TV show called The Cesc Fabregas Show: Nike Live. From 2003 to 2011, he played on Arsenal’s senior team and was then signed to Barcelona. He became Barcelona’s captain and won the first league title in his career for Barcelona. In 2014, he then joined Chelsea.  He won several cups, like FA Cup, Copa del Ray, La Liga, UEFA Super Cup, Supercopa de Espana, UEFA European Championship, and  FIFA Club World Cup!

Luis Suárez, FC Barcelona - $40 Million

Uruguayan footballer, Luis Suárez, has a fortune of $40 million. He has Adidas and Pepsi as sponsors. He makes $17.3 million yearly from Barcelona. He played for Nacional in 2005, then Groningen in 2006, Ajax in 2007, then Liverpool in 2011, and finally, Barcelona in 2014. Suarez is known for his case of biting on the field, which was in the World Cup of 2014, resulting in his being banned for four months. It was apparently not the first incident of biting for Suarez! We hope he would get it his act together lest his credit score suffer the consequences.

Mario Balotelli, OGC Nice - $60 Million

The Italian footballer, Mario Balotelli, has $60 million to his name. He signed a $36-million contract with Manchester City when he was 22. There was some controversy when it came to surface that only after his national recognition as a star footballer did his foster family, the Balotelli’s, formally adopt him. Perhaps it seemed that they were just after his bank account. The incredible footballer also endured nasty racial taunting that went so far as home fans having been banned and part of their home season being canceled!

Philippe Coutinho, FC Barcelona - $60 Million

Brazilian professional footballer, Philippe Coutinho, has a healthy $60 million at hand. He is an attacking midfielder and winger, having kicked off his career with Vasco de Gama till 2008, then Internazionale in 2013. He went on to join Liverpool and scored 41 goals in his 152 appearances for the team. In 2018, he went to Barcelona. Liverpool desperately tried to keep him, even suggesting to agent Kia Joorabchian about them getting him on loan!

Juan Mata, Manchester United - $55 Million

Spanish football player Juan Mata is midfielder and winger for the Manchester United. He has played for Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Valencia as well. He plays for Spain, too, and participated in the Premier League. He’s won a string of awards and was named ‘Player of the Year’ between 2011 and 2012, and also in 2012 to 2013, for Chelsea. In 2017, he committed to donating 1% of his near $190K weekly wages to charity and is asking for more players to pledge likewise. That's quite noble of him!

David Villa, New York City FC - $50 Million

Professional football player David Villa has a yearly income of $7 million. His several years on the field have earned him a spot on this list, with $50 million to his name. In 2014, he was on loan from New York City FC to Melbourne City. He has kicked the ball with Real Zaragoza, Sporting Gijon, Valencia CF, Atletico Madrid, and FC Barcelona. In the world of football, he is endearingly called ‘Guaje.'

Mesut Ozil, Arsenal - $50 Million

German football player Mesut Ozil has just signed a lucrative deal with Arsenal in 2018. His deal has made him the highest paid Arsenal player in the history of the club, with weekly earnings nearing $470K. It is reported that the club’s wage structure was ‘shattered’ to keep Ozil, but Arsenal claimed that it was cheaper than letting him go. Ozil is the second highest paid player in the 2018 Premier League.

Didier Drogba, Phoenix Rising FC - $90 Million

Former Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba, announced his retirement at the end of the season, in 2018. He is famous for having played a pivotal role in ending the Ivorian civil war, by the power of football. After qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, Didier Drogba who helped the Ivory Coast team pleaded with President Gbagbo to put an end to the civil war. The combatants responded and their arms were laid down after five years of civil war. He receives $15 million per year for his work on the field and has $90 million to his name.

Fabio Capello - $90 Million

Italian football manager Fabio Capello is a former professional footballer with $90 million in his name. Most recently, he managed the national football team of Russia’s, and previously acted as coach to England’s national team for international competitions. As a coach, he is mighty successful, his teams winning the domestic league title every time under his coaching. His earnings for his coaching sit at $18 million per annum.

Frank Lampard, Retired from Chelsea FC - $90 Million

After 21 years of professional football, Frank Lampard retired at the age of 38, in 2017. He first played for West Ham from 1996, and then signed on with Chelsea FC in 2001, where he remained for 13 good years in which he scored the most goals for the club. He is now manager of Derby County FC. Lampard makes property investments – he has a home in Chelsea, three other apartments in London, two homes in Cambridge, and a large house in Barcelona.

Philipp Lahm, Retired from Bayern Munich - $100 Million

Philipp Lahm plays fullback and defensive midfielder for Bayern Munich, and also for the national team, Germany. He happens to be captain of both teams, too! He is right-footed but plays both sides of the field, and he is well known for his dribbling, precise tackling, and his pace. He is nicknamed ‘Magic Dwarf,' a reference to his small stature. From 2005 to 2006, fans were concerned as his injuries stopped him from playing, but he recovered and returned to the starting line-up. In 2017, he announced his retirement.

Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid - $80 Million

Sergio Ramos boasts a salary of $25 million a year, and he has accumulated a net worth of $80 million. The Spanish footballer started out playing for Sevilla FC then began playing for Real Madrid, who paid around $31 million for him, at the age of 19. He started every match of the 2010 World Cup, and he ranked number one on the Castrol Performance Index for the tournament.

Ezequiel Lavezzi, Hebei CFFC - $94 Million

Much of this footballer’s cash in his savings account come from his fat PSG paycheck of $400K per week! Now, he earns a high salary through the Chinese Super League. He is among the highest paid footballers on the planet. It’s practically a given that a fraction of his income will be generated through endorsements and business deals, though it isn’t very clear what deals he has. He keeps his money dealings and his romantic life private – difficult to snoop around!

Andres Iniesta, FC Barcelona – $90 Million

Andres Iniesta is Barcelona’s and Spain’s midfield maestro. He draws an insane paycheck every week from Barcelona and has used his money to invest pretty cleverly, steeply increasing his net worth to $90 million. Mind-numbing for us, but probably just another figure to Iniesta – who also happens to be very well liked and quite popular. His endorsements include Nissan, Sony, Nike, and Castilla-La-Mancha in Spain. He even has some tucked into real estate.

Eden Hazard, Chelsea FC - $100 Million

It was reported by Forbes that Belgian professional footballer, Eden Hazard, has earnings of about $16 million a year at Chelsea FC, building for himself a $100-million fortune. He has Nike as a sponsor and also endorses ‘Topps and Biscoff’ biscuit manufacturers, Lotus Bakeries. Word has been going around that now that Zinedine Zidane is stepping down as manager of Real Madrid, it would now bolster the chances of Eden Hazard remaining with the Chelsea FC football club.

Yaya Touré, Manchester City - $70 Million

Ivorian football player, Yaya Touré, was rumored to be amid a transfer from Manchester City to AC Milan and Inter Milan, but he defied all speculations upon signing an extension of his contract with Manchester City by a year. When he played for Belgium, the manager was at a loss at how to utilize his football skills, because he was so versatile and it was difficult to find a position in which he shines through. He has an estimated net worth of $70 million.

Steven Gerrard, Rangers F.C. - $90 Million

Steven Gerrard earns $13 million yearly, with $4 million surplus income in the form of endorsements. He has deals with several companies, but to list a few: Adidas, Mars, and Lucozade. Because of these deals and his salary, he is among the top 20 highest-paid footballers worldwide - which reflects in his savings account. He played for Liverpool loyally - for the entirety of his footballing career. He has won several cups and awards and even became the club's captain in 2003.

Franck Ribery, FC Bayern Munich - $70 Million

French footballer Franck Ribery has $70 million to his name and has acquired his money through hard work in his football career. His basic salary sits at a cool $17 million per annum, and he gets some extra dough through endorsement deals - like some $1 million extra dough. He has been in the senior league since 2000 and has won several prestigious awards, even taking away the 'French Player of the Year' award not once, but three times!

Samuel Eto'o, Konyaspor - $95 Million

Cameroonian football player Samuel Eto'o has a bank account with $95 million! His annual salary comes to around $26 million. He is recognized as the most decorated African football player in history. His career started with Real Madrid and then several clubs later, he joined RCD Mallorca, where his star began to shine. He was a crowd-pleaser and the Mallorca president recognized it. He then played for Barcelona before joining the Internazionale club.